From bestselling author Thea Harrison comes the first in an explosive new trilogy set in the Elder Races world….

Her past is a blank, her future uncertain….

Recovering from a shooting, LAPD witch consultant Sophie Ross leaves her job and travels to the U.K. to search for answers about her childhood. When she encounters a Daoine Sidhe knight of the Dark Court, she becomes entangled in an ancient hatred between two arcane forces.

He has given his body and soul to fight for his people….

Barred from his homeland along with his surviving brother knights, Nikolas Sevigny is embroiled in a conflict that threatens everything he holds dear. Only by uniting his people’s resources can they hope to prevail against Isabeau, the deadly Queen of the Light Court. He will do anything and use anyone to return home to Lyonesse.

When Nikolas encounters Sophie, he sees a tool to be used. The insouciant witch might be the key to unlocking every passageway that has been barred to the knights of the Dark Court, even as a fascination for her takes root in what’s left of his soul.

Sophie has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, yet the fierce Nikolas is so compelling, she can’t deny the temptation that endangers her guarded heart.

As magic threatens Lyonesse, Queen Isabeau unleashes her merciless Hounds, and Nikolas and Sophie become embroiled in a race for survival. Meanwhile, the passion that ignites between them burns too hot to be denied and quickly turns into obsession.

Author-Style – Thea Harrison writes wonderful stories about a magical world filled with Dragons, Fae, Shapeshifters and vampires and the people within it finding their HEA.

Quick Scores –

Heroine – 5/5. Sophie is an amazing heroine. Recovering from a shooting that killed her partner, she agrees to try to solve a family mystery and finds herself in the middle of all out war between the Light and Dark Courts. Unwillingly teaming up with Nikolas, Commander within the Dark Court, she finds she has to protect herself and the charge she has saved from the wicked hands of the Light Court Queen. She also has to fight an overpowering attraction to the grumpy, older military man who frustrates her and turns her on in equal amounts.

I loved the way she approached the war. She was strong, holding her own within each of the battles and even contributing to the strategic planning for battle, without ever compromising her principles. I also loved the way she was within the relationship with Nikolas. She never ran away from her feelings but she never allowed his grumpiness to walk all over her; she was a kick-ass heroine. I think her relationship with Puck, who she saves at the start of the book, was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Hero – 5/5. Nikolas is a grumpy, battle weary alpha hero who is all sorts of yummy. When Sophie walks into his life, he is unprepared for her and he acts like any good alpha hero; he is a total arse. Caught up in the long war between the light and dark court, he knows he has no time for romance but he can’t help his feelings which, of course, leads to some ridiculous decisions on his part. Then in other moments … complete sweetheart! His life has been on hold for so long because of the war that he is unaccustomed at wanting something solely for himself and he wavers between guilt and happiness for 75% of the plot. I adored him.

Plot – 5/5. This is an off-shoot of the Elder races series but you could read it without those. It is the first of a series and so there is a clear series arc that remains unfinished. This story is the romance of a battle weary soldier meeting the woman of his dreams at an inopportune time and, together, they work together to try to defeat their enemies.

Romance – 5/5. This is a slow-burn relationship, fraught with tension and reluctant longing, between a strong heroine and a grumpy hero.

Cover – 5/5. Sooo pretty.

Re-Read? – Yes.

Favourite Part – The romance. Seriously, the romance was everything for me in this as it was so bloody swoonworthy. Oh, I liked all the Nope GIF stuff too – I laughed … a lot!

What didn’t work for me? – There were parts of Sophie’s dialogue that was a little bit too OTT. It made me a little bit frustrated with an otherwise

Quote –

“The love has got to be bigger than everything else. The isolation, the separation, the danger. When the love is bigger than all of that – you just do it. You pay the price in uncertainty and sometimes bereavement, because every moment you’re together is worth the cost.”